Although the name of Dundas West’s newest vintage boîte alludes to the 1960s French sex symbol Brigitte Bardot, Bridge and Bardot isn’t as focused on worshiping the past as it is on building a bridge that connects past fashions with current trends. Owners Rose Broadbent, Gagan Bassi and Gurjeet Kaur Bassi don’t only meticulously pick clothes that they themselves would wear, but they also embellish them with studs and patches in an effort to anchor them in the present. Shorts that may have caused eyes to roll in the past are given new life with some simple alterations and a subtle dye job. Gagan, Gurjeet’s younger sister, laughs about how hard it is to part with some of the pieces: “we spend so much time on each one that you end up getting attached,” she says. But despite being a shop of antiquities, Bridge and Bardot isn’t reminiscent of grandma’s closet—there are no misses. The small, but carefully curated selection of garments ranges in style from spiked glam rock to Bollywood glamour to subdued classic styles.

Bridge and Bardot is the bricks-and-mortar manifestation of a pop-up that was run out of Bassi and Broadbent’s Bloorcourt media company, The New Beat. The two co-workers hooked up with Bassi’s younger sister Gagan, who was (and is still) working on her undergrad in fashion communications at Ryerson. After five successful pop-ups, the trio decided to give permanence a go by opening up a store in the newly burgeoning vintage destination, Dundas West. Serendipity was on their side when a friend stumbled on a “for rent” sign in what was formerly a matronly Portuguese dress shop. “It was too perfect,” exclaims Gurjeet, who still can’t believe that they managed to land their dream spot adjacent to Ossington.

The 700-square-foot shop is brimming with natural light amplified by an immense mirror that takes up almost the entire back wall. In an effort to diminish visual noise, the girls decided to only display clothes on one wall, and the pieces are arranged in a colour spectrum that begins with white and ends in warm tones. The upcycled wood table, crafted by Jamie Miller, is used to display contemporary pieces from local designers such as Muttonhead’s unisex sportswear and Varsity Brown’s leather goods. Local jewellery by Kakia and Cuchara is also on display at the front of the store. Artwork by Broadbent’s sister Joy and her brother Justin currently adorn the walls, but the Bridge and Bardot team are toying with the idea of having their space double as a gallery.